Warbird Information Exchange

Interesting the dates on these guys.

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Zero Surprise!!...

These photos support the reports on the ADF Serials website tht the Lancer (A56) in Australian service had problems on the ground with brakes.

"F/O Bond was delayed at Oodnadatta, South Australia, with brake problems.

This would be the bane of the type throughout the service of these aircraft. Another, A56-6, being used for bomb carriage trials, was damaged severely on landing at Laverton on the 9th December 1942, injuring the pilot, P/O J D McLeod of 1 PRU. The pilot unlocked his tail wheel and on application of brakes, the aircraft ground-looped to starboard.

Another P-43B, A56-5, was damaged at Coomalie Creek, Northern Territory on the 14th December 1942, when the brakes went spongy resulting in the aircraft making a right turn off the strip and mounting the drainage ditch parallel to the strip. The pilot was Flt Lt H M Angwin."

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Chris Mellor

Just why was the truck in the middle of the active runway???

Interesting tail markings on the A/C in the first pic. 55th PG designation with serial number rather than plane in group number.

More info here - Portland Army Air Base on the Day of Infamy, December 7, 1941
LINK-- http://www.142fw.ang.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123433564

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When I was young "sex was safe & flying was dangerous".

AAIR has no listing for the first nose-up (40-2920), but it mentions the other two. 40-2916 vs. the truck was the first of three accidents it suffered; the second was on September 21, 1942 at Drew Field in Florida and the third was on January 22, 1943 at Moore Field in Texas. All were listed as Category 3 (medium) damage.

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

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Scott Rose
Editor-In-Chief/Webmaster
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My initial flight instructor, Col. James Haun told me he saw a flight of these come in for a landing at Fort Knox back around 1939 or 1940. It's an aircraft that must be wheel landed only. The eliptical wing , plus the tailwheel wasn't put in the correct place made it almost impossible to three point, particularly in crosswinds. It will drop a wing violently before one is able to reach the three point attitiude. He said a delivery flight of 8 aircraft came in to land at Fort Knox and every single pilot tried to three point their aircraft. In a matter of minutes there were 8 broken P-43's scattered about all torn up. Most of these pictures appear to have had a similar fate.